Last Christmas
by Cyberchao X
Summary: Christmas is a time for lovers, a time for sentimentality... Current parings are NanoFate and AriSuzu, but much of the story is in flashback...


Last Christmas  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Oh, dear, I'm not getting _sentimental_, am I? The only thing remotely resembling a "holiday special" that I've done so far was a 4th of July-inspired chapter of "The Adventures of Team 9 Catering". And yet here I am, doing a sappy pseudo-songfic relating to a holiday belonging to somebody else's religion. I've gone completely soft, I swear.

…Still, since the usual ordering is to put the most recent releases first, I might as well post this one just _before_ posting the other one I made last night.

* * *

><p><em>Last Christmas, I gave you my heart<br>The very next day, you gave it away  
>This year, to save me from tears<br>I'll give it to someone special_

*10 years after the events of A's (and therefore shortly after StrikerS). Late December by Earth's calendar*

"I don't think we can allow for all three of you to go on leave at the same time, Commander Yagami."

"Well, you'll have to. This is a very important Earth holiday, and we have friends back home that we want to see. We've…missed a few."

_It'll have been ten years to the day since we all met…although the Wolkenritter met Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan before that, and of course, I had met _you_ a bit before that, too._

…_It'll also have been four years to the day since the last time I saw you. You, who were always the peacemaker…or at least, the only one whose idea of "making peace" didn't involve blasting people until they had no choice but to listen to what you were saying. I regret the way I left things, and…I really hope you've found happiness without me._

* * *

><p>*Christmas Eve, six years after the events of A's*<p>

"Damnit, Hayate-chan, did you cover your entire _house_ in mistletoe?" Nanoha asked. "Fate-chan…I think maybe it's best if we stick together for the entire night."

"Uh…agreed." Better to have to repeatedly kiss each other than to be forced into situations with their friends. Everyone knew that Hayate would go after just about any female she saw, and both Nanoha and Fate also knew that Arisa had feelings for both of them. Such dear friends, and yet, such room for complications.

"We're here, Hayate-chan!" Arisa announced, as she and Suzuka arrived, stepping through the mistletoe-covered door. Hayate first gave Arisa a big smooch, then Suzuka…a more refined greeting, kissing her on both cheeks.

"Hey, why don't I get the same type of kiss as Arisa-chan?" Suzuka asked, a little bit angrily.

"My mistake, Suzuka-chan. I didn't want to offend you; I figured Arisa-chan would like it. But if you want me to…"

"I…I do. I've been looking forward to this party for a long time…knowing that there would be plenty of mistletoe at a Christmas party thrown by the one and only Hayate Yagami."

"Aw, Suzu-chan…" Hayate found herself beneath another sprig of mistletoe, and Suzuka jumped forward to give Hayate a deep, passionate kiss. Meanwhile Arisa was trying to get in on Nanoha and Fate's mistletoe lovefest.

"Su-Suzuka-chan?"

"Can we…go somewhere where we can be alone?"

"Of-of course…there's actually something I want to talk to you about…I figure Nanoha-chan or Fate-chan will tell Arisa-chan, but…"

"…You hesistate. It's bad news."

"It's not bad news. Painful, yes, but very good. Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan and I…we've all three been accepted into the Time Space Administration Bureau Academy."

"That's great!"

"It means we won't be able to continue living on Earth, and would rarely even get to visit."

"Oh…"

"So why did you want me alone? Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

"N-no…it's stupid."

"…Tsukimura Suzuka. Lying is not your strong suit. It's not mine either, but it's definitely not yours, and you are the least stupid member of this group. Which obviously means I've said something wrong, and that leads to a conclusion that you were about to confess to me, am I right?"

"N-No…Don't come any closer…I'll yell molestation if you do!"

"I doubt many would believe that this is molestation," Hayate said, gently putting her arms around the purplette girl.

"They would if they knew you," she replied.

"And yet you, who do so, still seek me out."

"Yes. Yes I do. Because Yagami Hayate-chan is an amazing person, who overcame crippling illness, who is an extremely powerful magical girl ready to join a magical academy not even out of high school…you said the TSAB is like an Army, only bigger, right?

"Yeah, that's right…"

"And all this time…I've been trying to find the courage to tell you my feelings. I thought showing you would suffice, but…I've made a terrible mistake."

Hayate ran a hand through Suzuka's long violet hair. "Suzuka-chan…I _do_ love you. I've tried to spare you from my perverted side, because of that."

"Then, if you can't stay, bring me along."

"That…can't be done."

"In that case…One night together."

"…One night." They began to undress.

* * *

><p><em>Well, except for <em>that_ part. I don't regret _that_ one bit, Suzu-chan. You were quite a good lover._

* * *

><p>*Christmas Day*<p>

"You really weren't much of a hostess last night, Hayate-chan," Nanoha said.

"…Something came up."

"'Something'. _Right,_" Vita said, clearly displeased with Hayate's behavior.

A yawn from the other room. "Ah…good morning, Nanoha-chan…Nanoha-chan?"

"Suzuka-chan?"

"Ah, uh, I didn't realize you were staying here last night."

"It's…it's nothing, really; Hayate-chan just wanted a little longer to say good-bye…"

Bullshit. Nanoha had seen that nightgown before on Hayate, when they'd had their own sleepovers. _Now_, of course, there was no way Nanoha would let Hayate near her when she was sleeping, but this had been a couple of years ago—Suzuka was quite petite; it only made sense that nothing that fit the busty Hayate _now_ would fit Suzuka. "You're not having second thoughts about leaving for Mid-Childa, are you, Hayate-chan?" Fate asked.

"Not at all," she replied, putting an arm around each of her two friends and fellow mages. "I'll…miss you, Suzuka-chan." She thought for a moment. "We don't have to be going _right_ now, do we? Let's at least have breakfast first." Let it be known that Hayate Yagami is not one of those girls who doesn't even stay for breakfast after spending the night with someone—even if it's her house that they're at.

* * *

><p>*Christmas Eve, ten years after the events of A's*<p>

"They're not gonna come."

"They said they would. …Hayate-chan swore she would."

"Hey, hey, I miss them too." Arisa put a comforting arm around Suzuka. "But they said that last year, too, and the year before that, and the one before that."

Suzuka turned and gently stroked Arisa's face, giving the girl a kiss. Arisa was about to move her hand under Suzuka's blouse when they heard a knocking on the door.

"Ah, Suzuka-chan!" Hayate instinctively looked up, hoping to find mistletoe and not being disappointed. "You've grown!" Indeed, Suzuka's figure had finally filled out. Arisa was now by far the flattest of the five, a fact that she noticed with considerable dismay.

"Hayate-chan…"

"I…still feel horrible about the way I left things with you."

"It's…it's okay, Hayate-chan. I really enjoyed our last night together, and…Arisa has been there for me."

"Arisa-chan? You mean _that_ Arisa-chan?" Arisa had reverted to fangirling over Nanoha and Fate, asking them all sorts of questions about the TSAB and having caught both of them under the mistletoe at the door.

"Yes, that Arisa-chan." Suzuka laughed. "_My_ Arisa-chan." She pulled Arisa away from the two Aces.

"Shut up, Suzuka…" Arisa flushed a little. "I'm not '_yours_'."

"…Yes you are."

Hayate giggled. "Well, I'm happy for you. I was worried that I'd really messed up."

"And what about you, Hayate-chan? Still going after every girl you meet?"

Hayate turned bright red. "I'm…mostly married to my job, right now. But I still like to design uniforms for my staff."

"Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan seem really close," Suzuka noted, "Even more so than before."

"Raising a child together can do that."

"Hayate-chan!"

"She's adopted, of course. Found abandoned. Fate-chan has actually been foster mother to a number of children, but Vivio-chan…Vivio-chan goes by 'Takamachi'."

"C-congratulations." It was evident that Arisa looked pained.

Suzuka noticed this, and decided to kiss away the pain. Arisa soon relented and gave in to her lover's embrace.

_Happy Holidays, Suzuka-chan…my first lover, my first true love._

_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
>The very next day, you gave it away<br>This year, to save me from tears  
>I'll give it to someone special<em>

* * *

><p>Measurements of time are taken from the events of A's because it provides a more concrete time frame, since that most definitely occurred right at Christmas time. The distant finale of A's implies that the girls are still on Earth six years after the events of the original series (as determined by the season), but they definitely had plenty of time in Mid-Childa as well, so I think this works out best.<p>

Again, this might not have been originally as planned, since it seems to focus more on the HayaSuzu than the AriSuzu. But ah well; it's the holiday season. Yesterday was Christmas, and today is Boxing Day, the start of Kwanzaa, _and_ the sixth day of Chanukkah. Until next time, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.


End file.
